Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

[DaBull]

I found this to be a good article concerning what to do and what not to do when you start grinding pegs and floorboards in a turn

http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/mot...clearance-runs

[Racinfan101]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

Excellent article!

[mmccune]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

Good article. Although I enjoy scraping my pipes and floorboards it does startle me if I havent done it in a while. I also use my alarm system I have seated directly behind me to let me know that i have gone a little too far over... When I hear a ooohhhh or a weeeeeeeee I know that I have over done it a little. And just let me mention that I do try to set my alarm off quite often haha

[Ice Cube]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

I frequently lay my bike over, can't have that chicken strip. Contrary to the article I use my boot heel (really tough on my dress shoes going to work) as early warning and then await the peg to start folding up on my foot. I'm lowered 2" in the rear so I expect to kiss the ground versus being startled by the event.

[Toecutter]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

...I also use my alarm system I have seated directly behind me to let me know that i have gone a little too far over... When I hear a ooohhhh or a weeeeeeeee I know that I have over done it a little. And just let me mention that I do try to set my alarm off quite often haha

My alarm system has the deluxe "slap in the side of the helmet" feature. Apparently it is also activated during "excessive" speed trials...

[Deacon Jim]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

very good thanks

[Conmar]

Great article. I took my Nomad up to the Tail of the Dragon with a friend and my brother. They let me lead. I felt very comfortable with my speed, and never once drug a floorboard. My brother was on his BMW R1150RT in the rear. He told me he was just waiting for me to make sparks, because of how close I was getting.

Now my Mean Streak is another story. Even with stock shocks and pegs I would drag quite often. I switched to Mapam forward controls, which moved the pegs 4" forward, and up a good 1-1 1/2". I still drag those, though my boot heel will touch first. I got in the habit of rolling my foot more forward, raising the heel up, when cornering. I've gotten better about knowing where that point of drag is. At least till I lowered the rear end. Now it seems I'm re-learning where that point is. I've also gotten to the point where I will pick my foot up so the peg can drag more if I need it to. But I typically only do that in certain situations. As in: I realize while in the curve that I may be a little fast or that the curve has more of a decreasing radius than I first realized.

It's definitely a good article. Worth reading. I'm also of the crowd that thinks EVERY rider should go through a MSF course at least once. While it was drudgery sitting through the basics for those who had never even sat on a bike before, (and seriously made me question whether or not I had wasted $225!), I learned and practiced techniques that I had never considered before. Definitely worth the monetary and time investment.


Thanks for posting interesting articles like this!

[Kickstand1]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

How ironic that I started reading this a few days ago at work and was planning to read it in full when I got home. I could have used some of this info....

Well, not really. There wasn't much scraping going on, just that a curve suddenly got tighter, sort of converting from a sweeping curve to a left turn. By the time I adapted the lean and scraped the pegs (or something harder), I just gouged the pavement right hear the edge. A short stretch of dirt shoulder and a guard rail later, my riding has been curtailed for a little while.

Now to see what I can do about the bike. Damn, I like this bike.

[DaBull]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

dude...hope you are ok...bikes can be fixed....

[Kickstand1]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

You're right, and I'm thankful to be in good shape. Nothing broken and trivial rash on the knees. Once I was up & walking around, then I got really bummed about the bike. I'm optimistic, though. I don't think there's really serious damage, but that's just from a quick visual.

Thanks for the thoughts.

[Racinfan101]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

Damn dude!! Glad you are okay!!! You will have the bike good as new in no time I am sure!

[ggale]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

hard to scrape much of any thing on the V2 but last year in a on-ramp corner I have taken a 100+ times the rear bottomed out on some thing? and made the rear shock un-load. [jumped up] that made for a major "Butt Pucker" moment. as the bike jumped side ways.. went back and walked the corner latter -- never did see any thing that could have caused that. ! the scrap tabs on the bottom of the floor boards are on the front of the foot rest.. dealer installed them back wards. one of these days I will swap them around until then eehhh! good read. thanks Derry

[1700 Rider]

Re: Motorcycle Cornering Clearance

Good article Derry, but I never scrape floor boards